Only Time will Tell
by Ambygs123
Summary: Clockwork must go to Danny for help.  Will they be able to stop the horror that is coming?
1. Chapter 1

_Time for some Clockwork love (ha, a pun.) I read the fic by DPcrazy called "Turn Back the Clock" I really liked it, but I want Clockwork to be Clockwork. So for being similar, well just one thing really. Hope you all enjoy (I think this is my catch phase). Oh, takes place after Phantom Planet._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom or Clockwork. I do own two clocks, one watch and a cellphone that can tell time._

**Only Time will Tell**

**Chapter One**

"Hey. Hey kid. Wake up. What are you doing here?" An office asked the teen. This said teen was lying on his stomach with his head tilted sideways, slowly stirring.

"What? Oh officer, what are you doing here?" The teen stood up, dusting the dirt off of his purple hoodie. He then pulled the hood up over his aqua hair, leaving only a few to be shown. His pale face looked calm, even though he was taking to an officer.

"Trying to wake up a teen that is asleep in the park at eight in the morning. Care to explain?" the officer said as he looked at the teen.

"Oh, I came to watch the sunrise. I guess I fell asleep instead. I'm sorry about that sir. I'll go home now." And with that the teen turned and started walking toward town, with only one place in mind: Fenton Works, home of Maddie and Jack Fenton, but also two members of Team Phantom: Danny and Jazz Fenton.

"I know that Daniel is a late sleeper, but this is important. The balance has been tampered with. I need his help to restore it." The teen mumbled as he walked down the street, missing the feeling of having no weight. "I just hope that I get there in time."

Soon he was standing in front of Fenton Works, getting ready to knock on the door. Timing had always been on his side, but not now. Which was why he had a full on collision with a black hair boy as he tried to run out the door.

"Hey, watch were you're going! And what's with your clothes?" Danny looked at the teen he ran into. He was about Danny's age; just a little over, about 18, and just a little taller than him as well. The teen was wearing a purple hoodie with the hood pulled up, covering up most of his aqua hair. He had a large scar running across his left eye, which were a ghostly shade of green. He was very pale as well. Along with the hoodie, he was wearing a pair of blue jeans, with a pocket watch attached to the belt. He also wore purple tennis shoes. What confused Danny was the amount of watches on the teen's arms. There was at least five on each arm, all of them on the same time. He also felt like he knew the teen from somewhere.

"Sorry, but do I know you?" Danny said after staring at the teen for a few minute.

"I hope you know me Daniel." The teen said as he rubbed his head.

"Why are you calling me Daniel? Only two people call me that; one is in space, the other in the Ghost Zone. Do you want to come inside?" Danny said as he moved out of the doorway to let the teen in.

"I need to correct your statement there Daniel. One is in space; the other is right in front of you." The teen said as he walked up to Danny's room.

"What do you mean? Clockwork is in the Ghost Zone, and you're human." Danny said to him as he followed him upstairs.

"So close Daniel, so close." The teen then faced Danny. "I am Clockwork. And I need your help."

Danny just looked at him with disbelief.

_Cliffhanger! Hope you all enjoyed. This will work on the same updating system as "Who 'toonnapped Danny Fenton?" which is to say anytime I want to update, I do. I also don't know what Clockwork would call Danny, but it sounds like he would call him Daniel. Until the next chapter, I'm out. Amby_


	2. Chapter 2

_O look, the next chapter is up. Hope you enjoy, I like writing this one. It's not in an AU place like my other two chapter stories. Anyway, onto the next chapter (flies away...I know, very random.)_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom. I still have two clocks though._

**Only Time will Tell**

**Chapter 2**

"What? No, you can't be Clockwork. You are human. Clockwork is the Master of Time in the Ghost Zone." Danny said as he sat down backwards in this desk chair; Clockwork already sitting on his bed.

"Daniel, I am telling the truth. What do I need to say to get you to believe me?" Clockwork asked.

"How do you see the world?" Danny asked after thinking about what to say for a few seconds.

"I see it as a parade, with all the twists and turns it may, or may not take." Clockwork said with a small smile crossing his face, remember how he helped the young halfa in his greatest time of need. Danny just looked at him with disbelief. Not because he didn't think it was the Master of Time, but because something bad must have happened for Clockwork to come to Danny for help.

"Ok, I believe you. What happened? You knew it was going to happen right? I would be more worried if you didn't."

"Yes, I knew it was one of the possible paths. It was just one of the least possible paths to occur. I was watching the screens, and then I got hit from behind. As for my appearance, a long time ago a sort of fail-safe was put in place to the Master of Time. If something was to happen, the ghost would become human until they could reclaim their staff and resume their post." Clockwork explained to Danny.

"Ok, so you got hit from behind and they took your staff, and then took your job. But because it's your job, and someone else took both, you became human and now you need help. So, who'd the ghost who took your spot?" Danny asked.

"Her name is Tiempo. The Master of Time title was given to the ghost the Observants felt could do the job best. She wanted to control time, make everything in her image. I stand back and watch, only interfering when needed, such as when someone needed time reset." Clockwork said, hinting at Danny for the last part.

"So you won the title of Master of Time, and she felt bitter about it and now she has come and is going to mess with time to make what she wants. You also need my help to get it back. Did I miss anything?" Danny said as he stood up from the chair.

"I did not tell you that we have less than 24 hours or this will be permanent. She will then fully be the new Master of Time and I will be fully human." Clockwork said as he also stood up.

"Then what are you right now? You look human to me." Danny said as he left his room and started to go downstairs. Clockwork followed him down.

"I am human right now. It will only reversible until 24 hours are up. After that, she is in charge and I will be human. Are you going to help? And where are we heading?" Clockwork asked as they headed out the door.

"We are going to Sam's because that's where I was headed before I literally ran into you. She and Tucker are going to help." Danny said as they walked down the street toward Sam's house.

"I know that they help you with your fighting, but it would be better if they don't get involved. But I'm sure that you're going to ignore me and get their help anyway." Clockwork said as they knocked on the door. Soon the butler let them in and they headed toward Sam's room, where Sam and Tucker were both waiting.

"Hey Danny, how are you today? And who's that?" Sam said as she gave Danny a quick kiss.

"I could be better Sam, and you have met before." Danny said as he sat down beside Sam on her bed. Clockwork just leaned up against the wall. Tucker was sitting at Sam's computer, trying to resist the urge to touch it. "Sam, Tucker, meet Clockwork, well again anyway."

"Danny, Clockwork is a ghost." Sam said, leaning over to get a look at the teen.

"Yeah man, that is a human teen." Tucker replied.

"Thank you for the statement Samantha and Tucker. I am Clockwork. A ghost called Tiempo took my staff, and my job. By doing this I was turned into a human. We now have less than 24 hours to get the staff back and my job or she could throw the world out of balance." Clockwork said as he watched the teens look at him in disbelief.

"Back up. One, don't call me Samantha, it's Sam. Two, how are we supposed to get the staff back? She's probably watching us right now." Sam said to Clockwork.

"Yeah, and don't forget if she has your powers, that means she can stop and start time." Tucker added "How are we supposed to get through that?"

"Just because she took the staff doesn't mean all the powers go in all at once. It's another fail-safe. Right now, she can only view and touch the screens. In a few hours she will be able to stop and start time, and soon after that she will have total control of time. She has been there for about 10 hours now, so there are only 14 hours left to stop her" Clockwork summarized for the three teen fighters.

"So she can control only the screens right now. How much longer until the stop-start thing starts up?" Danny asked.

"About two hours." Clockwork replied.

"So how are we going to get past her then? It takes about two hours to get to your place, so there is no way we could make it in time." Danny said, putting his head in his hands. "How are we supposed to fight her if she can stop us?"

"With one of these Daniel." Clockwork said, pulling a gear shaped medallion with the letters "C" and "W" on them.

"A time medallion! How did you keep one on you?" Danny asked as he tried to grab it from the master of time, only to grab at the air. Clockwork and put in back inside the pocket of his jeans.

"I always have one on me. She doesn't know about them. They are my own creation, not something the Observers gave me. There are still some back in the castle, but she may just think they are items I give to people in my favor." Clockwork said to the trio.

"So I can go in and fight her and she won't be able to stop me!" Danny explained, standing up and getting ready to leave.

"Where are you going Daniel? We need to make a plan."

"Ok, here's a plan. We go back to my place, get the speeder, go to your place, you and I sneak inside, I fight her, you grab the staff and everything goes back to normal." Danny said as he faced them all, and then started walking back out the door.

"Danny, wait!" Sam said, dragging Tucker with her. Clockwork stood up and followed them out of the house, as they started the first step in Danny's plan.

_Look, it's really long. Just like you all wanted. Next chapter should be up soon. Bye-bye now, Amby_

_P.S. remember to review please!_


	3. Chapter 3

_So I had some free time and I ended up drawing my version of Clockwork that's in the story. He turned out really well. No deviantART account though, so sorry you can't see it. It was fun to draw and color though, does make me want Photoshop for coloring. Oh well, I have the paint program and that works too. Thanks for the reviews and such. Done with my rambling now, so onto the story!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom or Photoshop. Wish I did though._

**Only Time will Tell **

**Chapter 3**

"Danny, that's a dumb plan. She can see the whole thing. Now she knows what we are going to do." Sam told her boyfriend as she followed him toward his house. She was following him step by step, with Tucker a little behind them and Clockwork last in line. Although having his hood up has part of his look, he was getting to warm with it on, so he made a move to pull it back. Doing so revealed a mess of hair to the other teens, who had turned around to ask Clockwork his opinion about the plan.

"Wow, I think this is the only time I have ever seen you without your hood on." Danny said as he looked at the teenaged master of time. He noticed what without it on, Clockwork's hair looked similar to his own.

"That's because humans are warmer than ghosts. I was feeling warm with it on. As for Danny's plan, it should work, but only if we do not add any other details out loud. I cannot read minds, so neither can see. Also, my tower is a maze. I am the only one who knows all the twists and turns it there. She may not be able to tell where we are at until it is too late." Clockwork explained to the team as they entered Danny's house and walked down to the lab. Danny walked over to the speeder and opened the door. "The gauges all look good so let's grab some weapons and head out." He said as he walked over to the weapons vault and started to grab a thermos. Sam grabbed a couple of wrist-rays, while Tucker grabbed a lipstick and an ecto-gun.

"Here Clockwork, take this one. It's new, mom made it within the last week." Danny then handed Clockwork a metal staff, a shiny metal color with glowing ecto-green lines flowing on it.

"Thank you Daniel, but a stick is not going to do much good against her." Clockwork said as he moved it into his right hand, letting it take the place of the missing time staff he always had.

"Press the button in the middle." Danny said as he pulled out a few more ecto-guns for the speeder. Clockwork did as Danny asked and a glowing green blade shot out of the top, turning the staff into a scythe."

"Very nice Daniel. This will work quite well." Clockwork said as he tested the new weapon, being careful to not cut anything in the lab.

"Thought you would like it. Dad calls it the Spector Slicer. Now come on. We have a two hour ride before we make it back to your place. Let's get going people!" Danny shouted at the rest of them as they loaded into the speeder. Tucker plugged in the coordinates for Clockwork's tower, and Danny opened the Fenton portal. As soon as Danny was inside, Sam floored the speeder and they were off toward their destination.

"So what does she look like? Tiempo, I mean." Danny asked as they were about an hour into the trip.  
"She could almost pass for a human, similar to Ember. The only differences are is she has red eyes and hair that changes color all the time. When I first met here, her hair was black. After a while, it turned brown, then red, blond and finally white, and then changed back to black again. It's similar to my shifting forms. Her hair in normally pulled back into a bun, with a few stands falling around her face. Her dress is the same color as her eyes, with black lace on the edges of it. She also wears a black chocker around her neck." Clockwork finished his description, looking back at the rest of them.  
"Ok, next random question. How do you feel? I mean, as far as I know, ghosts don't remember their human lives, and that only if they have one to being with." Danny asked Clockwork.

Clockwork thought about it for a few minutes. "I am going to answer those in the opposite order. I was never a ghost that was once human. I was a ghost since the beginning of time. As for being human, it is weird. All ghosts, except for those with fire cores, are cold. It is weird to feel warm, to be solid, and to not feel weightless." Clockwork finished his tale to Danny.

"What about shifting forms?" Danny asked. "I know it feels weird to not be able to switch between Fenton and Phantom; does it feel the same for you?"

"In a way it is similar. I am use to changing form constantly. It is part of who I am. I am stuck in a form I am not use to, and it does feel awkward. It is like having the energy of my youngest form with the height and strength from my adult form." Clockwork said as he looked out the window. He then turned back to Danny and pulled the medallion from his pocket. "Here Daniel, put this on. We are almost there. Sam, there is a place in the back of the tower that leads into the main chamber. You can park the speeder there. Daniel and I will go inside. I know where there are spare medallions that she may not have found yet." Clockwork said as he picked up the scythe, getting ready to leave the speeder. Sam found the spot beside the tower and pulled in. Danny, with the medallion around his neck, and Clockwork left the speeder, heading toward the back entrance.

"You two stay in the speeder ok? We don't know what Tiempo may pull to keep her place."

"Be careful Danny." Sam said.

"Be careful dude." Tucker said as he closed the door to the speeder.

"Are you ready for this?" Danny asked Clockwork as they entered the tower.

"As ready as I could be for this. We only have ten hours, so we should not have any problems." Clockwork replied.

"But you know my luck so something will go wrong." Danny said back to him.

"You're right, you know." A voice said as something hit Danny in the back of the head, knocking him out. Clockwork whipped around, but only to be hit as well, also falling into the land of blackness.

_After this, one, maybe two chapters left. Next chapter should have a fight in it. Or a rescue. One of the two, maybe both. See you all soon, Amby (remember to review!)_


	4. Chapter 4

_It's so close to being finished. My first chapter story to have an ending. Hope you all enjoyed reading this as I did writing it. Oh, I have never done a fight scene before, so let me know if it was ok. Thanks for all the reviews, story alerts and favs. They make me so happy. And now, onto the last chapter._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom. (I know, nothing witty to add. Sorry)_

**Only Time Will Tell**

**Chapter 4**

"What happened? God, my head hurts." Danny said as he pushed himself into a sitting position. He moved one hand toward his head, trying to cease the throbbing in this head. After a few minutes, he turned his head around to see what was there. First he saw Clockwork, lying beside the edge of the cage they were being kept in. He noticed they were in the main room of Clockwork's tower. As he moved closer to Clockwork, he noticed that there was no one in the room watching the screens. _Weird, Clockwork is always watching. Shouldn't she be as well?_ Danny thought. He was now at Clockwork's side, trying to wake up the Master of Time.

"Clockwork, Clockwork; hey wake up. We need to get out of here." Danny said, shaking him, trying to wake him up. After a few seconds, Clockwork started to wake up.

"Daniel, what happened? Did she sneak up on us?" Clockwork said as he now sat up in their prison.

"Yes she did. Are you ok?" he asked.

"Yes, I am fine. Now, how do you get out of this?" Clockwork asked.

"You try phasing thru the bars. Humans act like ghosts in the Ghost Zone. You should be able to phase right thru them. I'm going to try as well." Danny said as he returned to human form. Clockwork tried first, and was able to get thru. Danny walked thru the bars as well. He then changed back into Phantom form and floated around, trying to find where the woman went.

"Daniel, do you still have the medallion?" Clockwork asked, as he watched Danny float around.

"Yeah, I took it off my neck and put it in my pocket before we entered. Thought it would be safer that way." Danny floated back down beside Clockwork, pulling the medallion out for him to see.

"Good. Now, let's get going. She could come back any minute. We also do not know how much time we have left to stop her." He said, as he walked over to one of the screens, and an image popped up on it. It showed Sam and Tucker walking around the tower, with a figure following them. What Sam and Tucker were saying could be heard by Danny and Clockwork.

"Sam, we've been this way before. We only have thirty minutes before that Tiempo ghost has total power. And we still haven't found Danny or Clockwork yet."

"I know that Tucker, but we have to keep looking. We can't let that woman be the one in charge of time." Sam said they continued to walk down the path.

"How is the screen even working for you? I thought you had to have the staff to make them work." Danny said to Clockwork, as they stared at the screen.

"I have no idea; maybe they are reacting to what little control I use to have over them without the staff. But we don't have time to dwell on that now, we have to go and stop her. She is following Sam and Tucker right now, and unlike your friends I know where they are at."

"Well then, let's get going. You lead the way." Danny said as he grabbed Clockwork and started to phase them through the many floors of the tower; Clockwork telling Danny when to turn.

"Hey, I just thought of something. Do you still have the scythe?"

"No, it got lost when she knocked me out. We can look for it later, or maybe she, or Sam and Tucker, picked it up. Turn here. We should be getting close." Clockwork said to Danny as they started to get closer to where they had seen Sam and Tucker on the screen.

"Sam, Tucker, there you are!" Danny said as he came up on his best friends setting Clockwork down on the floor.

"Danny! We've been looking all over for you. When you didn't come back in three hours, we got worried." Sam said to Danny as she gave him a hug.

"Yeah, Sam was really worried. And we've been walking around for hours. Do you know how many feedings I've missed?" Tucker said, trying to lighten the mood, but only getting a glare from Sam instead.

"Sorry guys. All we did was walk inside and she knocked us out. By the way, do you have the scythe? It got lost when we got knocked out." Danny asked his friends.

"No, we didn't see it." Sam said as Tucker shook his head side to side.

"Then that means…" Danny started to say but was interrupted.

"It means that I have it _chico_." The teens and Clockwork turned around to see Tiempo floating above the, Clockwork's staff in one hand, the scythe in the other. "_Hola _Clockwork, it's so good to see you again. How are you enjoying being a human?" she asked the former Master of Time.

"It has been an experience Tiempo. May I have my staff back now?" He asked her, as Danny was trying to think of a plan.

"No you may not. It's mine now, just like it was supposed to be in the beginning. Now that you are here, I should make sure that you are dead. I believe that you will become a pain. And just won't do." She said as she swung the scythe toward Clockwork, but it was blocked by an ecto-shield created by Danny.

"_Chico_, I don't know what you are thinking, but this is between Clockwork and me. Back out of this while you still have a life." She told Danny as she tried to hit Clockwork again with the scythe.

"No! Clockwork is my friend, so don't think of a minute that I would leave him just to say myself!" Danny shouted at the ghost, blocking the scythe swing and following up with an ice blast to the shoulder holding the scythe, causing her to drop it, where it was caught by Clockwork.

"You just made a mistake there Tiempo. Now we all have weapons, and it will not take much to take you down." Clockwork said calmly, raising the scythe into a position ready to swing.

"I don't think so. Time-out!" Tiempo shouted into the air, pressing the button on the top of the staff. Soon Sam and Tucker were both frozen, but Danny and Clockwork were not.

"Why are you still moving? This can't be right." Tiempo said as she looked between the four of them.

"I know how I can still move, but what about you Clockwork?" Danny said with a look of confusion on his face.

"I lied earlier. It was easier for her to believe that we both needed the medallions than that you needed it and I do not. The medallions are made from my energy, they do not work off the same way many of the powers with the staff do. Simply put, they are protection from my power with the staff." Clockwork said to Danny and Tiempo.

"As charming as that is _chico_, I'm not giving up this staff up to anyone. And once I'm at full power, the first thing to change is the fate of Danny Phantom that way chaos will rein in the human world!" Tiempo said with a villainous stance, ready to strike them with the staff instead of the scythe.

"Not going to happen. I've said it to Vlad, but you are also a seriously crazed up fruit-loop. You can't change the past, the answers can only be found in the present. And the answer to defeating you is right here!" Danny said, striking Tiempo down with a punch to the stomach.

"You do pay attention to me when I talk." Clockwork said to Danny as he slashed at Tiempo with the scythe, cutting her in the side.

"Well, I have to learn some time. Ahh!" Danny said to Clockwork, but got hit with the staff in the back by Tiempo.

"Leave him alone Tiempo." Clockwork said as he took another swing at her with his scythe, striking her again in the side, but also causing her to lose her balance and loosen her grip on the staff. Danny was getting up at the time, and shot a blast at her hand, causing her to drop the staff. Clockwork grabbed it before it fell to the floor, and a glow started to return to him, and his eyes started glowing red, the irises fading until they were a solid color.

"No, how dare you take away what is mine! Give it back!" Tiempo screamed at Clockwork, bolting toward him, with an insane gleam in her eye.

"I don't think so Tiempo, your time is up!" Danny shouted at her, sucking her up in the thermos. He then turned to Clockwork. "Are you going to clock time back in?"

"Of course. Time-in!" He said, allowing time to flow again, showing Sam and Tucker readying their weapons, just to see they were not needed.

"What just happened? Where is Tiempo? And what's going on with Clockwork?" Tucker said, looking around.

"And do you know how much time is left! Only three minutes!" Sam shouted.

"In order for Tucker: Tiempo stopped time, but Daniel and I were protected. After the fight, Daniel trapped her in the thermos, and I am returning back to normal. And Samantha, we had more time because she paused it." Clockwork said, but he now looked like a hybrid between his human and ghost form. He was glowing, and his eyes were pure red. His hood was over his head again, and the clock that was located in his chest was back. He was also floating, but still had the legs. He held the staff in one hand and the scythe in the other.

"I believe that it is time you all went home. Thank you for the help. Here is the scythe Daniel, and I need the medallion back." Clockwork said to the trio.

"Oh, here you go Clockwork. And you can keep the scythe. It works well for you. What do you want to do with Tiempo?" Danny said as he handed back the medallion, and then headed back to where they parked the speeder. By the time they made it back there, Clockwork's skin was turning blue again, and his hair disappeared under his hood. He had also put the scythe away; it had just disappeared into the air.

"She is going to go to the hands of the Observants. She is out of her mind, and must be watched." Clockwork said to them as they entered the speeder.

"Ok, thanks Clockwork. And take care." Danny said as the door closed and they took off.

"No Daniel, thank you. You have saved the world yet again." Clockwork whispered, fully turning back into his adult self, before flicking into his older form and heading back inside his tower.

_The end for my first chapter story. Hope you all enjoyed. Random things now. Danny always pulls the thermos from thin air, so same thing happens here. As for the screens working for Clockwork, they are working off of his energy, not the staff. And Tiempo couldn't get them to work. I am also a Spanish minor, so that's where her name came from. Also the longest thing I have ever written in one setting. Thank you for reading. See you all again with other stories. Bye for now, Amby_


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